General Magic Troubleshooting

So, this could be a variety of things:

1. Maybe the circumstances aren't great IRL, and even with the help of magic, you can't get what you want right now.

Is there anything you can do in the mundane world to increase your circumstances? Magic still needs a path to flow to you. (E.g. If you need money, it's better to put out those job apps or post your commissions rather than just sit on your ass and expect your spell to just randomly drop a 20$ bill on the street for you. Even though that could happen, it's still way less likely to happen compared to something more reasonable.)

2. Following up on #1: Is it possible that you're asking for "too much" for your skill level, or that what you're trying to accomplish is otherwise something extremely difficult that even experienced practitioners struggle with? You might have to lower your expectations a bit, and try again with something a bit smaller. (E.g. Maybe an extra 1,000$ a month is out of the question, but an extra 500$ a month would be manageable)

3. Are you being too vague with your request? (E.g. "More money, please" and then you only get 20$ when you need 50$)

While getting too specific can restrict the spell from working properly (since more restrictions make it harder for something to get to you), being too vague can also provide bad results. Trying to find a happy medium is the best.

4. Sometimes people are just... Bad at specific types of magic. That's not to say you can never accomplish it, but it might be harder for you. (E.g. I'm better at casting curses than luck magic without special assistance, like specific anointing oils.)

5. OK this one is the equivalent of "did you try turning it off and back on?" but you might need to cleanse/clean your ritual space and just... Try again. Maybe the vibes were off the first time. Maybe you did it at the wrong time.

6. Are you following the instructions of the spell exact?

Sometimes people substitute parts of a spell without realizing why the author originally included those components, which messes up the spell. Sometimes a spell just doesn't work with you because you don't have the same connections to the ingredients that the author had, so you need to substitute some things. It's a case-by-case thing and you may have to experiment a bit. Keep a journal of what you worked on, how long it took, etc.

7. Are you being impatient?

Not to sound like a jerk, but it's rare for magic to have instant results. Sometimes things take months. Usually magic that happens instantly is smaller, one-off things. Larger things might need multiple rituals, or "upkeep". There's a reason why there's specialized spell candles that require things like 7-day burnings. However, if you're in a dire need of something ASAP, then utilize the element(s) of fire and/or air. Just be mindful that those two tend to be "easy come, easy go".

8. Are you casting the spell too many times?

This may sound paradoxical considering the above point, but certain types of spells are meant to be cast once, and then you forget about it. This mostly applies to stuff like "freezer" spells, or spells that are supposed to affect your subconscious. If a spell isn't meant to be an active, long-term effort, then re-casting the spell too often can start to mess with it.

Some of the points from the above section might be helpful, but otherwise:

Sometimes you just... Can't do a spell. You might be burnt out and need a break. You might have a lot of desperate feelings right now that are getting in the way of the spell. It might be the wrong time to do the spell.

Try some grounding, cleansing, cleaning. If you've been doing a lot of magic lately, give yourself adequate time to recharge. Go do something else. Focus on mundane things. Or, if you're the type of person who has exchanged part of yourself for power, go meditate and put yourself in the magic soup or hit up those entities again.

Even if nothing is obviously "wrong", you could just be having a fallow period. Those are normal. It's kind of like how sometimes artists get art block. If you're still itching to do magic, you could try a different spell, or making your own.

If you're doing practical magic because you need X thing to happen, think about outsourcing to spirits in exchange for offerings. They might be able to help.

Alternatively: Sometimes we "outgrow" our spells/techniques and need to find another way to get the same result.

As an example, maybe you used to vibe well with the element of fire due to your personality, but now you've mellowed out over the years and it's harder to use. Try a water or earth spell, then.

I used to be able to see spirits in my dreams easily, but then after my new (medically necessary) medication it's extremely difficult nowadays due to less REM sleep. It's unfortunate, but you just gotta roll with it.

First:

Make sure the energy has a place to go. An often overlooked thing people do is they fail to account for the fact that the unwanted energy has to go somewhere. Open a window if you need to. Imagine it like you're trying to get out a ton of dust. You may need to temporarily disable wards if they're too "strong" and don't normally let anything out.

Second:

It may be better to trap the negative energy into a small object, and then throw that object out. For example, sometimes people will take a pebble or crystal, then hound all the bad energy into it, before tossing it outside somewhere.

If you wanted to do a differet fun eco-friendly thing you could bury out in the wild, then you can make a sort of paper tube with biodegradeable components inside, and direct and trap the energies into that, before burying it outside. Or you could just use an egg for the same purpose, and throw it outside. Eggs are used for a decent amount of cleansing rituals and can be used to absorb negative energies.

Third:

Make sure that you or someone else (whether it be a person or spirit) isn't just re-gunking the place up, even if unintentionally. This is not as common, and I would recommend trying everything else first before assuming something is messing with you- if mostly to prevent paranoid spirals that don't need to happen.

First up: How much do you know about the lore of the entity or force in question?

For entities, there may be some specific rite, symbol, or ingredient used for the first summoning. For general forces of the universe, you may need to wait for a more auspicious time (certain planet alignments, moon phases, etc).

Some entities are notoriously harder to invoke than others. For example, it's common for the top gods of various branches of Hinduism to be hard to get a hold of, unless you're a particularly devout follower. In cases like these, you'd just have to be patient and cultivate your own relationship with them. For deities and other exalted beings: in some religions, you're supposed to invoke the gods' servants instead of the god directly, unless you have developed a specific relationship with them. This is why knowledge on the lore of the entity in question can be crucial for successful workings with more closed-off beings.

Sometimes an entity may not answer your call if they do hear you if: they think you're not being respectful enough, it's not the right time for you in your spiritual development, it just isn't meant to be, or any other reason. Other entities have their own preferences, just like we do. Learn how to take "no" gracefully.

If you are desperate to summon a specific entity or use a specific force, despite having no affinity with them/struggling with it, you have to ask yourself if you absolutely need to.

Are you doing it just because people said you should? Maybe everyone told you that invoking the planet Jupiter is great for your business success, but your personal history or birth chart would have to disagree.

Maybe you're better off looking into making pacts with local harvest spirits. Maybe you should look up old spell jars for attracting success.

Are you just desperate to talk to a god because they're your favorite? You can still admire them without being personally involved. (That's not to say that you can't do a ritual with an entity just because you think they're cool, but if they're repeatedly not picking up the phone... Well. Yeah.)

"Beginner's luck" is a very real thing when it comes to magic, I find. Sometimes entities may put in extra effort for first contact. You may need to be patient for other signs to show up.

Otherwise, see point 2 from earlier about spells that used to work but didn't. Burnout is a real thing.

If all else fails, check that you didn't somehow accidentally offend your entity of choice. They may need an extra offering or appeal.

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